Most Wasted Ingredients

Chicken

As Australia’s most popular meat, making sure we’re making the most of our chicken will go a long way to reducing our food waste. A few simple principals around storage and use will get you a long way in making sure you make the most of your chicken.

Store |

Chicken can be stored in your fridge for up to 2-3 days. If you’re not planning to use it within this time, chicken can be stored safely in your freezer with a clear label of when it was purchased.

When it comes to defrosting chicken, the NSW Food Authority recommends three options:

In the fridge – allowing time in advance for chicken to fully defrost

In your microwave – using your relevant defrost settings

In water – if your packaging is water-tight. Fully submerge chicken in cold water and change every 30 minutes to ensure mince is kept cold.

Note: Never defrost chicken on the counter top – this can be a serious food safety risk as the outside of your chicken will defrost at a different rate to the inside and may start harboring harmful bacteria. Always defrost chicken completely before cooking to make sure it’s cooked right through.

Many people may also well-intentionally wash a chicken in their kitchen sink before roasting. While this is usually intended to improve hygiene, in fact this helps to spread bacteria around your kitchen while not getting rid of harmful bacteria on your chicken. A meat thermometer should read 74 degrees celcius when cooking chicken to ensure the removal of all harmful bacteria . See the NSW Food Authority for more details on cooking safely with poultry.

Cook |

Leftover cooked chicken and other poultry can dry-out quickly when overcooked or stored in the fridge. Bring life back to dry poultry by tossing it in an olive oil based-dressing or adding to a hearty winter soup or stew.

Buy |

Always check the label before you purchase chicken. To avoid the chance of waste, make sure you can consume the chicken before the used-by date or that it gets placed in the freezer upon reaching your kitchen.